Discussion

New Trader Joe's yea/nay thread

The current one has over 300 posts dating back over 3 years, so herewith a Lazarus version:Yea for the Wild Mushroom & Black Truffle Flatbread. I don't know if it's new but am happy it's there to fill the hankering for truffle since the Black Truffle Oil went to ingredient heaven.It's as good as the Tarte d'Alsace but smaller (9 oz.). Had one for dinner, adding shallot and cooked bacon, with carrot sticks on the side. But reading the package, it lists 2.5 servings of about 3.6 ounces - come on! MAYBE a half of one would suffice, IF accompanied by a big bowl of hearty soup.

The next Fearless Flyer won't be out for at least a month - any other new discoveries in the meantime?

yay/yeas:- New England Wild Frozen Jumbo Scallops- frozen avocado halves. i was skeptical, but my curiosity got the better of me. while they're certainly not as good as fresh, they're acceptable in a pinch.

nays:- Frozen String Beans/Haricot Vert (terrible texture)- Any Bread Product, being from my area in Northern New Jersey/New York there are any number of great bakeries offering a better and fresher product.....e.g., Italian Bread, French Baguettes, Rolls, Pita Bread and Flour Tortillas.

I do not recall where I read the fact the string beans were a top selling item for Trader Joe's....it could have been on this site, or it could have been on a simple sign above the product. All I can tell you is I have given the beans three purchase/opportunities and all three were a disappointment, so for me, I cannot attribute it to bad batches. For two bucks or less, I really wanted to like the product, but unfortunately I have given up.

On a similar note, the Costco stores in my area sell fresh Haricot Vert in 2-2.5 ounce bags in their produce department. Initially, I lived these, but my last half dozen purchases have also left me disappointed with the item. Although the green beans look perfect and pristine....for me they seem to develop a decaying odor similar to the bagged lettuce you can purchase everywhere. I can't stand that smell myself....so now it is no longer a must purchase item for me either.

I've found the Haricot Verts in the large packages at both Costco and Bristol Farms (in LA). The ones that I got from Costco a couple of months back were fine. The one that I got from Bristol Farms last weekend smelled of mildew. They looked perfectly fine - the cut tips looked fresh, not old or decaying - but that mildew smell is puzzling to me. I believe these beans are a product of Mexico - where in Mexico, I don't know. But I suspect that the weather must be warming up down there, which may be attributing to the current issue.

The only thing I disagree with you on is the flour tortillas. I had some recently and they were better than any of the other mass produced brands I've had in my area. As you suggest, they are definitely not like those that are freshly homemade, but I have no access to those close to where I live, so I'll try the TJs again. Unless you want to ship me some fresh ones from North Jersey...... :)

I like the TJ's "bake at home" bread. It comes in a loaf (2 per pack) or in rolls (6 per pack). We don't eat much bread, so I freeze the package and take out the rolls as I need them. 10 min in the oven, and you've got fresh, warm bread.

New right now: bags of "milk chocolate minis" -- 28 individually wrapped bars for $2.79 (or, 10 cents a bar). The quality of the chocolate is pretty good (says "product of Colombia") -- even natural vanilla. A good alternative bagged chocolate for Halloween.

My husband isn't a sweet craver, but he goes wild for the mini peanut butter cups. The really tiny ones that don't have paper on them. I love the dark chocolate covered ginger, and also just got the chocolate covered toffee with roasted pistachios. That lasted about a day despite all efforts otherwise.

As noted in other topics, the hash is a definite winner. I was really skeptical of something from Brazil in a shelf-stock box, but it's really good stuff (crunchy is best, as you say). My son, the big breakfast fan, was amazed and it may even get him to use the Griddler we got him for his birthday (the one that hasn't been out of the original box in 4 months). He has no stove in his loft and eats out almost exclusively.

produce is tricky at TJ's - very hit or miss. and i've found that each individual store has trouble with different items, so it's a matter of trial & error. but as walker already said, avocados are a consistently safe bet...as is their celery, garlic, organic zucchini, organic packaged herbs, and loose citrus (NOT The pre-bagged which *always* contains at least one moldy piece).

I agree that it's tricky. I don't buy much of our household produce at TJ's, but there are a few things that I do buy on a regular basis - mostly fruit. (This is in the SF Bay Area).

During the summer they had some pretty good organic strawberries.

I've actually had very good luck lately with the bagged organic Valencia oranges - very flavorful, no moldy ones. I usually store most of them in the fridge after I get them home and just take 2 or 3 out at a time to get them to room temperature.

The bagged organic Pink Lady apples have been very tasty in the last month or so.

berries (of all varieties) are one of those hit-or-miss items that vary by store. the location where i used to shop back East had a serious problem - every container of blueberries, strawberries, raspberries & blackberries that i ever examined there contained at least one or two moldy berries. but the stores i go to here in SoCal have reliably fresh product - the blackberries in particular have been great.

i think it's also a regional/geographic issue. the farther the stuff has to be shipped, the more likely it is to spoil.

"As good as the Tarte d'Alsace..."?? That is a BOLD statement! Guess I'll have to try that flatbread.

The Tarte d'Alsace is perhaps my favorite item at TJs, followed by the croissants. I also can't buy the ice cream bonbons (vanilla with chocolate cake on the bottom, covered in chocolate) anymore. I could eat the whole package in a day.

I agree with your assessment of the Tarte d'Alsace. I have had very good flammekuechen (same thing) at an acclaimed French/Alsatian restaurant, and the Td'A is nearly as good. Caveat: I did add granulated shallot to the flatbread before baking it, and then added a strip of separately-cooked bacon before eating it. It already had its own garlic and mozzarella. I have often looked at the croissants and passed on them because I've found their bakery section breads to often be dry. Do you mean the fresh or frozen?

I mean the frozen. They're excellent. The only issue can be the air temp in your house during the overnight rise -- in the winter, the croissants turn out a bit small (particularly noticeable now that I'm in Norcal rather than SoCal) and, in the summer, they can overproof a bit.

Hmmm... the last 2 times I've purchased the frozen chocolate croissants, the results have been disappointing. Rather than being flaky, the layers tend to clump together and taste dense. Not sure if it's the croissants or how they're rising/baking in my kitchen.